Where a stretchability is given to a girth portion of a disposable worn article, typically, thread-shaped or band-shaped elastic members, being elongated, are fixed between two sheets of an essentially non-stretchable non-woven fabric with an adhesive therebetween. The elastic members shrink to form gathers in the girth portion.
In contrast, a method is known in the art in which a non-woven fabric having a high stretchability is layered on an essentially non-stretchable non-woven fabric to give a stretchability in the girth direction (see the first to third patent documents). The disclosure of three patent documents identified below is herein incorporated by reference.